The Agreement

Chapter 17

"There you are Sleeping Beauty," Sean smiled as Esme slowly started to wake. "How are you feeling?"

"Tired," She whispered, "Hurt. Heavy."

"That's fine," Sean nodded slowly. "Try and sip on this," He placed a straw in front of her and she slowly sipped the cool water. "Nice and easy." He said placing the cup on the nightstand then helped her sit up. She fell into his grasp unable to hold herself up. "Alright Pookie, it's okay, let me get someone to help you so I can give you a check up."

"Sorry," She mumbled as a few tears slipped free. "I'm such a mess."

"Nyet," Raven said coming into the room.

"Yevgeny," She gasped watching him come over to her. He very gently picked her up and placed her in his lap holding her up. "You're okay."

"Da," He nodded, "I fine. You fine, all fine."

"What happened?" She asked softly as she rested against Raven as the rest of the team came in.

"Ivan aimed for you, but Raven shot him just as Osiris attacked him. Let's just say he won't be a problem anymore," Corey explained.

 "Oh," She whispered.

"Osiris is fine and with his pride surrounding the house," Axel said and she sighed in relief.

"Good," She breathed.

"Can I give you a shot to help with your pain?" Sean asked and she nodded.

"Thank you," She said softly. "I can't look."

"Distract her," Sean ordered and Axel smiled.

"I have just the thing."

"I go with," Raven nodded as Silas walked over and swapped places with her. She closed her eyes and relaxed as she inhaled Silas' ocean scent. She found it very soothing when she needed help relaxing.

After a few minutes she heard something and frowned in confusion. "Why do I hear baby cubs?" She asked bewildered.

"We kind of are fostering them," Axel said as he walked in holding two tiny newborn tiger cubs.

"What?" She asked shocked as she tried to sit up better.

"Someone from the hospital stopped by while you were napping," Victor explained, "Someone from a zoo brought them by asking for help because apparently the mother rejected them, and they had no other female tigers that would accept them. The people from our hospital tried getting the female tigers and lionesses to accept them but they wouldn't. It's too late to try and find someone else to try and take them so we said we would care for them at least overnight."

"Awe," She smiled as he carried them over to her. "So tiny." She listened to them meow and gently petted them as they rubbed against her. "Are you sure you are able to handle twin cubs?"

"Well about that," Kota chuckled.

"Triplets?" She asked shocked.

"Not exactly," Kota smirked, "you see we might have a slight problem."

"What?" She asked confused.

"Raven kind of has claimed the cubs," Corey chuckled. Just then there was another weak tiny crying from the hallway.

"Triplets!" She gasped.

"Not exactly," Axel chuckled as Raven walked in.

"A baby bear cub?" She gasped as Raven smiled down at a baby black bear cub sucking on a bottle.

"Da," Raven nodded.

"Three newborns is a lot of work," She pointed out. "Are you sure? I mean it's every hour of feeding and helping them go to the bathroom and teething and—"

"There are fifteen of us Princess," Victor smiled, "We can do this."

She looked down at the twin cubs in her lap and smiled softly. "How are you feeling now Pookie?" Sean asked and she turned to look at him shocked as he placed a bandaid on her arm.

 "I didn't even feel it," she gasped. "I didn't feel it."

"I'm glad," He smiled as he pushed her hair out of her face.

"I always feel it," She shook her head, "and I always bruise."

"Well, I'm glad you didn't this time," He said, "and I'll keep a close eye okay?"

"Here you go Doll," Axel said handing her a bottle.

"I can't," She shook her head as a tear slipped free. "I'm sorry but I can't."

"I'll help you Angelos Mou," Silas said in her ear as he gently picked up her hand and helped her hold it. Axel took one of the tiger cubs and began feeding it while Silas helped her feed the other one.

"Thank you," She barely whispered as she watched the cub feed.

"You are very welcome," He said into her ear forcing back a smirk as she shivered. They watched as she fed the tiger cub and then Silas helped her clean his mouth. As the cub curled up in her lap, Axel placed the other one in her lap as well and she smiled as they fell asleep. Silas leaned her back against his chest and ran his fingers through her hair, "Sleep Angelos Mou."

"Yes Sir," She mumbled as her exhaustion won and she drifted off to sleep missing the smirks on their faces as they looked at one another.